Air valve and the like



Feb. 26, 1935. D PERRY 1,992,764

AIR VALVE AND THE LIKE Original Filed Jan. 12, 1933 I gmmntoz flu ,D.Perry Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR VALVE ANDTHE LIKE Original application January 12, 1933, Serial No.

651,381, now Patent No.

1,923,501, dated August 22, 1933. Divided and this application April 3,1933, Serial No. 664,249

10 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in air valves and particularly theform of valve disclosed and described in my co-pending applicationSerial No. 651,381, filed January 12, 1933 now Patent 1,923,501, datedAug. 22, 1933, of

which this application is a division.

As described in my application above referred to, the invention relatesto improvements in air valves especially intended for use in connectionwith inflated articles, such asfoot balls, basket balls, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide an air valve made of rubber orother suitable resilient material which is so constituted that a veryperfect sealing action is produced without the necessity of usingspecial devices for closing the air passage. In this connection it is anobject to so construct the valve that the'same assumes a closing and airsealing condition when normally, laterally extending portions thereofare deflected and secured in abutting relation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air valve ofresilient material, such as rubber,

having an air inflating portion, which portion is compressed to closeand seal itself by resilient compression portions of the valve.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a device ofthis character which is so constructed that it can be used either at theinside or the outside face of the bladder or wall of the inflatedarticle. That is to say, the valve may be conveniently applied to eitherface of the wall of an article, according to the dictates ofconvenience. The other features of the invention relate to the provisionof an air valve embodying the above features and which is so constructedthat it may be made from a minimum amount of rubber or other resilientmaterial, as will appear from a detailed description of the same inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of valve :rnbodying the featuresof the present invenion;

' Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the center of thelugs or wings of the valve, the lugs being shown in full lines spreadapart in their normal inoperative position, and in dotted lines in theirpinched together or sealing position; the valve being furtherillustrated as secured to the outer face of a bladder or other aircontainer;

FiFig. 3 is a bottom view of the valve shown in Fig. 4 is a view similarto Fig. 3 showing the lugs of the valve secured in abutting relation bya band or other retainer;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a modified form ofconstruction in which the sides of the wings or lugs are normallyparallel to each other and showing the parts in the normal or unsealingposition;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on lines 66 of Fig. 5,showing, by means of dotted lines, the position of parts when pinchedtogether and secured for sealing the valve;

Fig. '7 shows an inside face or bottom view of a further modified formof valve in which three compression wings or lugs are employed, the lugsbeing shown secured in deflected abutting relation in full lines, and innormal extended positions in dotted lines.

The valve of the instant case includes a flexible disc-like portion 5,of rubber or other similar material, which is adapted to be cemented toa wall 6 of the inflatable article, such as a bladder, as illustrated inFig. 2. While this disc-like portion is shown cemented to the outersurface of a bladder or other air container it will be appreciated thatthe disc may be similarly secured to the inner surface, if desired, asthis portion merely functions as a means to integrally attach the valveto a wall of the container.

At one side of the disc 5 is preferably formed a small inflating lug '7which projects outwardly from the center of the valve and on theopposite side of the disc is formed an inward extension of the valvecomprising an inflating body portion 8 from which project laterallyextending wings or lugs 9 and 10. The lugs 9 and 10 are formed normallyseparated from each other to provide a substantially V-shaped notch oropening between the opposed outer faces of the lugs. A throughpassageway 11 is formed through the center of the lug '7 and inflatingbody-portion 8 of the valve, by forcing an inflating needle through theresilient material of the valve, the passageway terminating at thecenter of the V-shaped opening between the lugs 9 and 10.

While the wings or lugs9 and 10 are shown in full lines in theirnormalfilaterally, extending positions relative to thebody 8, in Figs. 1to 3, it will be understood that in the use of the valve the opposedfaces of the lugs are secured in abutting relation as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2, and in full lines in Fig.4, by a band or other retainer12. When the lugs are thus deflected and secured by the band 12, theintermediate resilient material of the inflating portion 3 of the valveis effectively pinched together at the center of the V-shaped opening,sealing the passageway 11 by the compression of the resilient material,but leaving a laterally extending open ing 13 between the inner portionsof the deflected lugs which communicates with the interior of the aircontainer. The purpose of this lateral opening 13, when the lugs aresecured in abutting relation, as above described, is to permit thearticle to be inflated or deflated by the use of a suitable tubular toolwhen forced through the passageway 11 into communication with thelateral opening 13. The valve shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is similar to thatof Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, with the exception that the outer side facesof the lugs 14 and 15 are molded or originally formed parallel to eachother so that they may be more easily drawn from the molds. The resultis that when said lugs are forced or pinched together in the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 6, the opposed faces of the lugs are secured inpartial abutting relation by a suitable securing means in the mannerformerly described.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a further modified form of device in which thereare provided three companion lugs 16, 17 and 18, which may be forced ordeflected towards each other and secured in the manner shown in fulllines to compress the intermediate material of the inflating portion ofthe valve to effectively seal the'inflating passageway extendingtherethrough.

I wish to make it clear that in each of these devices the inner end ofthe through passageway is normally sealed by a severe pinching actionoccasioned by the compression of the material of the valve body throughwhich the passageway extends, which compression is brought about by thedeflection of the rubber or other resilient material into a compressedcondition between the connections of the lugs, with the body when thelugs are secured in abutting relation. Such an arrangement is clearly tobe distinguished from one in which the sealing action of the passage isenhanced merely by a direct lateral pressure-exerted on the body of thematerial at the sides of the passage since such direct lateral pressuremust necessarily be very much larger in total amount than that necessaryto pinch the end portion of the passageway; and also for the reason thatwhere the pinching action is produced merely in the end of the passageit is produced at an angle tothe axis of the passage as distinguishedfrom being directly at right angles to said axis.

It will also be clear from the foregoing that in each of thearrangements herein illustrated it is contemplated that the inflationand deflation shall be produced by the use of a small tubular toolinserted. through the air passageway and communicating with the interiorof the article to be inflated or deflated.

While I have herein shown and described only certain embodiments of thefeatures of my present invention, I do not intend to limit myselfthereto, except as I may do so in the claims.

I claim:

1. An air valve for inflatable articles compris ing a resilient memberhaving a thickened portion through which an article inflating means isadapted to be inserted and compression lugs normally extending laterallyfrom said thickened portion in diverging relation and having cooperatingside faces adapted to be secured in abutting relation, whereby tocompress the material of said thickened portion between the portions ofthe lugs connected therewith and prevent escape of air through saidvalve.

2. An air valve for inflatable articles comprising a resilient memberhaving a thickened portion through which an article inflating means isadapted to be inserted and a pair of compression lugs normally extendinglaterally from opposite sides of said thickened portion and havingcooperating side faces adapted to be secured in abutting relation,whereby to compress the material of said thickened portion between theportions of the lugs connected therewith.

3. An air valve for inflatable articles comprising a resilient bodyhaving lug portions projecting from one side thereof, said portionsbeing normally spaced and having opposed faces disposed at an angle toone another, and a thickened portion extending from said body betweenthe inner opposed faces of said lug portions through which an articleinflating means is adapted to be inserted.

4. An air valve for inflatable articles comprising a resilient bodydivided longitudinally to provide lug portions projecting from one sidethereof, said portions being normally spaced and having inner and outeropposed faces disposed at an angle to one another, a relatively narrowweb portion connecting the opposed inner faces of said lug portions withsaid body, and a passageway extending through said body and web portion.

5. An air valve for inflatable articles comprising a resilient bodyhaving an article attaching portion and lug portions projecting from oneside thereof, said lug portions being connected to each other adjacentsaid attaching portion and normally spaced outwardly therefrom, and apassageway extending through said body and connecting portions of saidlugs. Y

6. An air valve for inflatable articles comprising a resilient bodyhaving an article attaching portion and a pair of lugs projecting fromone side thereof, said lugs being connected to each other adjacent saidattaching portion and normally spaced outwardly therefrom, said lugshaving opposed inner and outer spaced faces, the outer spaced faces ofsaid lugs being disposed at an angle to one another, a relatively narrowweb portion extending between and connecting the opposed inner faces ofsaid lugs with said body, and a passageway extending through said bodyand web portions.

' 7. As a new article of manufacture a valve member foran inflatablearticle comprising a disc of molded rubber having a pair of lugsextending inwardly from the inner face of said member, said lugs beingso formed as to provide 1 inner and opposite faces which flare away fromeach other when the material of the valve member is relaxed, there beinga fine through passage extending through the valve member andterminating between the portions of said lugs closest to the body of thevalve member, whereby when the lugs are forced towards each other tobring their inner surfaces into contact the material of the valve memberat the inner end of the through passage is placed under compression, andmeans for drawing and retaining the lugs in such position.

8. As a new article of manufacture a valve member for an inflatablearticle comprising a disc of molded rubber having a pair of lugsextending inwardly from the inner face of said member, said lugs beingso formed as to provide inner and opposite faces which flare away fromeach other when the material of the valve member is relaxed, there beinga fine through'passage extending through the valve member andterminating between the portions of said lugs closest to the body of thevalve member, whereby when the lugs are forced towards each other tobring their inner surfaces into contact the material of the valve memberat the inner end of the through passage is placed under compression.

9. As an improved article 0L manufacture, a rubber valve for aninflatable bladder for basketballs, footballs, or the like, said valveconsisting in a neck portion extending through the walls of the bladder,and having an opening therethrough, a plurality of normally divergingarms on the inner portion of said valve within the inflatable bladderand adjacent said opening, and

adapted to close said opening by compression caused by moving saidplurality of arms into contact with each other.

10. As an improved article of manufacture, a rubber valve for aninflatable bladder for basketballs, footballs, or the like, said valveconsisting in a neck portion extending through the walls of the bladder,and having an opening therethrough, a plurality of normally divergingarms on the inner portion of said valve within the inflatable bladderand adjacent said opening, and adapted I to close said opening bycompression caused by moving said plurality of arms into contact witheach other, in combination with fastening means holding said arms incontact.

ma D. PERRY,

